New Hampshire!!

[LAGear]

Thanks! I will ask on that thread too.

 

[1Chick Magnet]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/365202/chicken-swaps-of-nh-2012-swap-listings/3980#

this link is to some photos I just posted of my legbar rooster.
the photos were a request by a byc member

 

[chicken pickin]

anyone know where i can bring 2-3 chickens to have processed? thanks!

Where are you located? I know of a farm that does it.

 

[Smithyard Farm]

Pembroke, in between concord and manchester.... starting to read up on the process and.... oh boy! I know I can do it.. but geez...

 

[DraigAthar]

Pembroke, in between concord and manchester.... starting to read up on the process and.... oh boy! I know I can do it.. but geez...

I'd be happy to give you a pep talk, if you need it, heh.

Which is the harder part for you, do you think? Actually dispatching a chicken, or cleaning it to the point where you can eat it?

 

[chicken pickin]

Pembroke, in between concord and manchester.... starting to read up on the process and.... oh boy! I know I can do it.. but geez...

Ill PM you the info you want it but they stop processing the day before thanksgiving and dont start taking appts again until spring. Actually come to think of it I think they stop the sunday before thanksgiving and that was yesterday. But if you think you could do it its worth a shot just have someone else to help out incase you cant follow thru. Processing is tough emotionally but we did it for our first time this year. I raised 26 CX and we processed right in my garage with a few family members who were willing to help out all 26 in one day. I cried the next day for what I did but I will tell you this. I am so proud that I raised my own food that we did the "deed" ourselves my freezer is full delicious chicken and I love feeding my family what I know was raised happy and healthy.

 

[Smithyard Farm]

I think its the actual cleaning of it. Getting the feathers off and and such. It will make me sad, and I will have a tough time deciding which one... (although as I was listening to them a bit ago, I have an idea

)..but I think I will get over that...

 

[DraigAthar]

We often use an abbreviated sort of cleaning when we process our roosters, because I hate the plucking part too. We just skin the bird whole and then cut the main pieces of meat directly off the carcass. The skin and feathers all pull off easily as a whole, and then we cut the breast away from the body (snip all along the ribs, it's pretty easy) and cut the legs off right at the hip joint. Sometimes we'll save the wings, sometimes not. We do waste a little meat from the back of the bird, but we bury the remainders back in the trees so it just becomes good compost anyway. If the rooster has nice feathers, I will carefully cut out the neck and saddle hackle pieces and dry them as a feather pelt, to use later for crafts or to sell. Processing a chicken this way means you really can't roast or fry them, but our roosters are usually old enough when we cull them that really they're best for stewing anyway. They make good chicken salad, too!

 

[Smithyard Farm]

Okay - gonna have to but my big girl pants on and try it. Someone had told me that you could just pull the whole skin off (sort-of) but I wasn't sure about that. what about the middle part (do you call it guts?) if you process this way, seems like you are just cutting the meat part off and throwing the carcass out? no need to get into the middle?

 

[DraigAthar]

Okay - gonna have to but my big girl pants on and try it. Someone had told me that you could just pull the whole skin off (sort-of) but I wasn't sure about that. what about the middle part (do you call it guts?) if you process this way, seems like you are just cutting the meat part off and throwing the carcass out? no need to get into the middle?

Yes, that's exactly what we do. I can PM you with more detailed info if you'd like. I know it's always hard the first time you do it!